Sunday, March 09, 2008

A Better Better Bucket and a Malabrigo Fandango*

If it is possible for a knitter to take Malabrigo March too far, I believe that I am that knitter. Yet if you look at the Ravelry group, you will see that other knitters *cough*Ms. Frick*cough* are also exploring the outer limits of Malabrigo knitting and have turned it into a bit of an extreme sport.Above you see another completed Better Bucket hat. I just love this pattern! Turning that little brim is a true pleasure and produces such a fine result. This time I decided to use a contrasting edge so that just a hint of the green peeks out. Added bonus: this hat was knit entirely from leftovers. Leftovers!The Specs:Pattern: A Better BucketYarn: Malabrigo Worsted in Marron Oscuro & Water GreenNeedles: Size 7 addi turbosMods: Just the brim in a contrasting color. I stole the idea from this lovely knitter.Lest you think that I am now suddenly this frugal depression-era knitter who only uses scraps, please behold my next project. It is with yarn that has been shamelessly acquired from Yarnzilla, and more is on the way. So I am two steps forward, three steps back in the yarn thrift department. I am doing the Falling Leaves Shawl in Velvet Grapes:I now see that all the hype surrounding this color way is justified. It is GORGE! The pattern is fairly straightforward, but alas this one of those projects you need to block some time out for as setting it down and say having cocktails and then picking it back up isn't recommended.I am going to Seattle today, just for a 48 hour work thing. This means that I needed some mindless airplane knitting, because let's face it, that flight to Seattle is a long ass flight. So I am bringing Scrunchable scarf in Butter and Stella's hat in Geranio. Doesn't Butter actually look like butter? Amazing.One of the aspects of Malabrigo March that I am most enjoying is discovering how this yarn knits up at different gauges--all of these projects are being done on different needle sizes, and it's been interesting to see the various results. Let's call it an experiment. I am collecting a rateable sample...I include this last observation in case any beleaguered scientists who are related to me might be reading this and need to be able to find at least something in my maniacal ways that they can relate to...

*this is one of my favorite words, and if you are a Strangers with Candy fan, you will recall that this is the word that revealed to the world that Jerri Blank couldn't read!!

oh, all of these projects are making me want to cast on for something new........i love the two toned bucket.have a wonderful trip. i am actually envious of that long airplane ride......just thinking of all of that knitting/alone time!